Altitude: 0 - 1650mFlight Period Europe: June - September with peak flight July - early AugustHabitat: Grassy areas with trees and moderately dense growth: Cultivated GroundSimilar Species -

None

Ova: Ova are ejected by the female when in flight over low growing vegetation.see photos 2 & 3 belowLarva: The final instar larva is light brown with broad dark brown dorsal line and a series of fine lighter brown lateral lines dorsally. The subdorsal line is slightly thicker than the other lateral lines and a wide white spiracular line. The head is orangey brown with dark brown stripes vertically,concolorous with dorsal line.Overwinters as: 1st or 2nd instar larvaObservations: A large butterfly named from the white band that starts on the postdiscal line and traverses through forewing and hindwing. The white band on the blackish forewing is produced with ovoid cell like spots which stack up on each other from costa to dorsum with a small black spot in S6.The hindwing white band has the spots closer together and have a dentate appearance on the postmedial side. The androconial patch shows as two dark brown patches on the forewing. Hindwing is also wavy on the termen.The underside is similar but lighter and has more brown streaks and a white patch just before the basal area.

The butterfly needs large habitats and often appear to repeat visits made within these areas most days. The female shown below is at a fence which has a mown lawn one side and rough ground one metre wide on the other and here she is dropping ova against the fence where the grass is rough on both sides.

Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.Plant Families -in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.